Starting my Final Trousers

Well I told you in my last couple of posts about finishing my toile and adapting my patterns ready for starting my final trousers, well here it is, the beginning of my final trousers.

I am constructing these slightly differently to my toile as I have made some changes to the construction.

The first thing that I did was to sew together the two fronts as well as the two backs of the inner layer using 1.5cm seam allowance to create two pieces.

 Then I overlocked and pressed the seams open.

  I then repeated these steps on my outer layer pieces.

Now that the fronts and backs are created I can join both layers together.

First I put both front pieces together and gathered both inside legs so the outer layer fitted the inside layer.

I then overlocked the gathered edge.

Finally I repeated this on the back.

What do you think so far?

Adapting my Patterns

Now that my toile is finished I need to make any adaptations to my patterns.  In my case I need to make my outer later patterns 2cm bigger to add more volume and taper them in at the bottom.

First I added the 2cm all the way around the piece.

Then I measured the ankle and took the difference between this and my pattern piece of each side equally.  Then I gradually extended this back to the correct width.

I then repeated this with the other piece.

When this was done I could cut the pieces out of my final fabric.

Finishing my Toile

As most of you most probably know by now I am making my toile for my pair of trousers.  My toile was nearly finished and in last weeks lesson I finished it; this is how I got there...

The next step was to create my waistband.

I created the pattern in the same way that I created my cuff (but with the waist measurements)

I then also constructed it using the same method as the cuff.

 And attached it in the same way too.

When the waistband was finished I took a look at the cuff and decided that I didn't like the way that the outer fabric hung over it so I decided that when I adapt my patterns I will taper it in to the ankle

Here is my finished toile.

The changes I will be making to my final trousers are...

I will be taking the outer layer into the inside leg seam.

I will be tapering the ankle in.

What do you think?

Second Set of Illustration Boards

You may remember my previous post on my first pair of design boards, if you did you will remember that for my current brief I have to create 6 illustration boards in three pairs.  Here is my second pair.  For these I have used watercolour and pencil to create this delicate effect and textures.

I am pleased with these boards and feel that both pairs work as a set as well.

What do you think?

Comparing Pattern Cutting Methods

Flat Patterning VS Modelling on the Stand

Over the course of my time at college I have learnt various methods of pattern cutting but for this post I am going to compare flat patterning and modelling on the stand.

Flat patterning is what I believe to be the basic and most common method of pattern cutting.  I find that this method is the best method if you are creating a structured or simple garment.  I have enjoyed learning this method and have found it helped me to understand the construction of garments before moving onto the alternative methods.

Modelling on the stand is what I believe to be the best way to create more flowing and less structured garments as you are able to create the effect that you want before creating your patterns.  This method is also useful when creating a fitted garment and it can make it easier to get a fully fitted, smooth silhouette.  I have also enjoyed this method as I felt that it helped me to visualize my ideas before creating my patterns.

Personally I don't have a preference between these two methods but I feel more comfortable with flat patterning as this is the one I have the most experience with.  I would consider both methods when creating my garments and would choose the one most suited to the garment I am creating.

Attaching the Cuff

Now that both of the side pieces are in I was able to attach the cuff (as it is a toile I only have to do one).  I did the left leg as this is the one closest to what they will actually be like.

First I created my pattern by doubling the length of the elastic (which I found out by measuring the width of the ankle) and doubling the width of the elastic so that it would create a tube.

Then I sewed to to ends together using 1.5cm seam allowance and leaving a gap making sure that it stoped before the fold line.

Then I folded it along the fold line (wrong side to wrong side) and sewed a 1.5cm seam allowance allong the top edge.

Then I threaded the elastic through.

After this I closed the gap using a line of stitching that was close to the edge.

I then attached this to the bottom of the trousers using 1.5cm seam allowance.

What do you think?

Inserting the Second Side Piece

In last Fridays pattern cutting lesson I did as much of my toile as I could due to the day being mostly taken over by the visit from William Tempest that I previously posted about.

The first thing that I did was to insert the second of my side pieces, I did the the same way that I did the first one.

This is my toile with both side pieces in, the left hand leg is the one that I had already adapted to make it tighter but as you can see it still isn't tight enough.

To tackle this problem once again I pinned the toile whilst on the mannequin to get the tightest fit.

I then adapted my patterns to accommodate for this change in size.

After this I took the left leg in by 1.5cm ( which is about the amount that I adapted my patterns by) as you can see, it is now slightly too tight but I feel that when I am creating my final trousers the adaptions I have made to my patterns are slightly less than 1.5cm therefore they should be slightly bigger.

What do you think so far?

A Visit From William Tempest

vogue.co.uk

For those of you who don't know who he is, William Tempest is a very current designer who has become a big name in the industry.  He has designed dresses for people such as Emma Watson, Victoria Beckham and Rihanna.

I had the amazing opportunity to meet him and hear about his career and how he got there.  As well as this I had a 1 to 1 talk with him where he looked through my work and gave me advice on how to improve it.

Newspaper article about the visit - http://www.middlewichguardian.co.uk/news/9399882.Leading_fashion_designer_visits_his_old_college/

Here are some pictures of his dresses that he brought in with him.

The dress below is the 'Hannah' dress and this is my favourite of the ones that he brought in.